The Hindu : New Delhi News : A new twist to missing men case

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 20, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

A new twist to missing men case

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, OCT. 19. After about four months of mysterious disappearance of two brothers, who had gone to meet a travel agent in West Delhi, from North-East Delhi, the case has taken another twist. While the father of the missing brothers suspects that they have been kidnapped and murdered, the police are looking into the possibility of them being involved in a visa racket and having faked their abduction in order to evade their victims.

The police, who were looking only into the kidnapped and murdered theory, had to do a rethink when the North-West Delhi police registered a case of cheating some days ago. The police said the two had collected huge amounts of money from people after promising them visas for various countries.

Earlier, Raghuraj Singh, uncle of Raj Kumar and Anil Kumar, residents of Gokulpuri, had lodged a missing report on July 30. A case of kidnapping was registered later after father of the duo, Dalpat Singh, an assistant sub-inspector with the Central Industrial Security Force posted in Tripura, complained to the higher authorities.

However, the police could not make much headway into the case. The brothers had told their wives that they were going to meet one Vicky of Patel Nagar in West Delhi and left the house on their scooter around 4 p.m. on July 30. They had been running a tourist vehicle and were interested in going to Australia. Vicky had reportedly given them the visa and taken a huge sum from them.

After reaching Vicky's house, they called up home and confirmed their arrival at his house. That was the last the family heard from them. Vicky claimed to be ignorant about the brothers' whereabouts when the police questioned him. The scooter too could not be traced.

With the local police not able to make any headway, Dalpat again complained to the higher authorities. He suspected that his sons had been killed for money. Following the complaint, the case was transferred to the Crime Branch of the Delhi police. Inquiries about Vicky indicated that he might be involved in the visa racket.

Even as the police were looking into the possibility of kidnapping-cum-murder, they were surprised when the North-West Delhi police registered a case of cheating against the missing duo. They had allegedly taken Rs. 7 lakhs each from about half-a-dozen persons in the name of providing them visas. The police, therefore, now suspect that the two may have gone underground in order to evade the police and their victims.

While, the Crime Branch will now be questioning the victims hoping to get a lead on the brothers, sources said the police still will have to investigate keeping both the possibilities in mind.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi